Hermione Granger sat in her favorite place at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the library. She had loved the library since the first day she had come to the magical school as a girl of eleven. Now, six years of education later Hermione had at long last entered her last and final year of Hogwarts by June she would finally be out in the real world, a world hopefully free of Voldemort.

This year was, by far, her toughest year at Hogwarts. Already barely into the school year and the professors were piling on the homework in anticipation of the coming NEWTS. She had a 2-foot page essay due in Advanced Potions, for Professor Snape, by the end of the week. The day was Monday and she was determined to get a head start on her Potions project. They had been given free reign on choosing their own topic, Snape allowing them this leeway had surprised most students, but Hermione supposed that he figured the 'dunderheads,' as he so lovingly referred to his students, would fail with no guidance on picking an appropriate NEWT level material. She, being Hermione Granger and by far more confident than most of her peers, had chosen the Corso del Tempo, CDT for short. a potion which translated into English meant 'Course of Time.' The potion was far more advanced than that of the NEWT materials but she supposed, being an over achiever, that she would be able to explain the theory of the potion on paper and make an attempt at the actual concoction. The potion was one that had never been tested on a human and was only in the most theoretical of senses. The potion dealt with the possibility of traveling back in time days, months, and even years. She had been fascinated with time travel ever since the beginning of third year when she had received a time tuner from Professor McGonagall. While she had only used the device to take extra classes it had still aged her half a year or so. In the Muggle world she was technically seventeen years old but in the Wizarding world, however, she would be legally considered eighteen soon, since the Ministry took into account aging through magical means.

As she was sitting in the library, reading different books on the CDT potion, she came across a theory she had never heard of before.

"It is believed by some wizards that time travel to the past, here by, affects the present, therefore, if a wizard or witch were to go back in time he or she would have already affected the original timeline there by disturbing nothing in the present day. This theory is highly discredited by many witches and wizards, however. It is uncertain if a witch or wizard has ever gone back in time longer than an hour or two. If said person where to go back years (which has never been recorded) he or she may or may not have an effect on the present timeline."

Eliza J. Wirthworthy

Hermione found this theory interesting and quickly jotting down the facts, her quill scratching into the parchment frantically, losing herself in theoretical thinking. If a person did go back in time, she mused, then would the time traveler effect the present? Or would the present continue on with the time traveler's present changing but those of the original timeline moving forward with no disturbances? Wincing at her own thoughts she shook her head to clear her muddled thinking. I wasn't even sure if I followed that, she thought, laughing at the track her mind had taken.

At around half past 11 she realized that curfew was less than a half hour away s, time was sneaking up on her dangerously fast. Hermione quickly packed up the books she needed for further research and organized the notes she had taken, stuffing them into her satchel. She left the library, heading to the Gryffindor common room. Why does the common room have to be so far from the library? Sighing she trudged up the flights of stairs and down hall after hall finding the empty corridors eerie in the silence.

"Miss Granger I was unaware that rules did not apply to you?" said a deep velvety voice from behind her. Stopping in her tracks, her heart racing, she turned around to see the very professor she had been working for this afternoon, Snape. He had snuck up on her without making a sound and she vaguely wondered how long he had been following in her footsteps.

"Professor Snape, sir, I don't believe it is past curfew yet," Hermione said hoping that she was correct in her timing. At that moment, however, luck was not with her as the clock struck twelve signaling it was officially past curfew.

Smirking Snape spoke, "Ten points from Gryffindor and I will see you in detention Saturday morning Miss Granger." he sneered down at her daring a reply.

"Sir… It's not even one past twelve!" Hermione whined instantly wishing she had just kept her mouth shut.

"Shall we make it two Saturdays?" Snape said imperiously smirking at her discomfort.

"I will see you Saturday, sir," Hermione replied hoping her professor would let her go back to her common room without adding on more detentions.

"I suggest Miss Granger you go to your common room this instant," he replied striding off down the corridor into the darkness.

Cursing herself for losing track of time and cringing inwardly at having received a detention, with Snape no less, Hermione headed hurriedly down the corridor never expecting that she wouldn't make it back to her common room.

Severus Snape walked away from Hermione Granger heading in the direction of his own private chambers. He was half way there when he heard a blood-curdling scream coming from the direction he had left.

Running back towards the corridor he had just vacated Severus hurried to see what had happened, along with half the other teachers nearby. Severus was the first to arrive and what he saw made his blood run cold.

There lying in a heap at the bottom of the staircase was Hermione Granger's book bag, her books scattered everywhere, but there was no Hermione Granger.

Hermione's eyes were opening, the last thing she remembered was falling down the stairs after the staircases decided to move as she was stepping onto it. She had hit her head hard upon falling and now had a pounding headache. "Wh'appened?" she said in a slur of mumbles. Sitting up, all the blood rushed to her head causing her to have to lay down once more. She looked around taking in her surrounding, she was laying at the bottom of the staircase. Glaring up at the offending staircase, she stood on shaky legs pressing a hand to her throbbing temple. Sighing she looked around only to notice that her things were no where to be found. She couldn't very well continue up to Gryffindor Tower without her research notes! What could have possibly happened to them? Taking out her wand, grateful it had been in her waistband and not her satchel, she tried to 'Accio' her things only for her spell to fail.

She was standing there frowning dejectedly at the ground, as if willing her satchel to appear, when she saw, from the corner of her eye, a boy striding down the stairs towards her. Feeling odd that she couldn't place the face with a name, her frown deepened when she noticed something oddly familiar about the young man. The name was on the tip of her tongue when he spoke.

"I saw you fall are you alright?" He asked then noticing her robes he sneered. "Gryffindor eh?" he added wearily beginning to turn away.

What was so familiarly about this boy? Suddenly it hit her. Black oily hair, deep black eyes, tall, and in Slytherin green robes. She was staring at a young Snape!

"You…?" She said right before falling into his arms in a faint.